Democrats sue Trump administration over ‘threats and intimidation’ ahead of election

Democratic leaders and election groups filed a lawsuit against President Trump and the Justice Department (DOJ) on Tuesday, seeking to block federal officials from pressuring states to remove voters from their rolls ahead of the November midterm elections.

The 44-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security of unlawfully directing states to remove suspected noncitizens from their voter rolls and threatening election officials with criminal prosecutions if they refuse to comply.

The lawsuit alleges the administration has relied on “shoddily compiled lists” that have “crumbled upon the barest inspection” to identify ineligible voters, arguing that it puts eligible Americans at risk of being denied ballots or having their votes go uncounted.

“None of this is lawful,” the complaint reads. “The Executive Branch enjoys no authority to superintend state voter list maintenance, to supplant state determinations of who is qualified to vote, or dictate who gets a ballot or whose ballot gets segregated.”

The lawsuit was filed by three Democratic-aligned groups and several Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.).

In a statement to The Washington Post on Wednesday, the DOJ reiterated its commitment to enforcing election integrity as a top priority for the administration.

“Every action the Department has taken to protect the integrity of this year’s elections is grounded in the law and being litigated in open court. Ensuring that only eligible citizens vote and that every lawful ballot is counted a requirement of federal law,” spokeswoman Kiersten Pels said.

A spokesperson from the White House told the Post that it was seeking accountability in elections, and accused Democrats of interfering with “common sense election-security measures.”

“Anyone who illegally votes in our elections will be held accountable,” spokeswoman Lauren Bis said.

The legal challenge specifically cites an Oct. 13 demand from the DOJ that California withhold or set aside ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters suspected of being noncitizens.

They further allege that the Trump administration violated the Voting Rights Act by threatening state and local election officials with imprisonment.

The lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to the administration’s efforts to expand federal oversight of elections. It comes as the DOJ has pursued separate litigation against states over access to voter registration records, citing allegations of noncitizen voting.